Crossroads of Conversation
Could the telephone directory
in the hands of each subscriber be
revised from hour to hour, there
would be no need for the informa
tion operator. But the directory
cannot at one time list all sub
scribers. Even during its printing
and binding, thousands of changes
take place in the telephone com
munity. New subscribers are
added to the list. Old ones move
their places of business or of
residence.
Though their names are not
listed on the directory, these sub
scribers must be connected by the
highways of speech with all others
in the community. To supple
ment the printed page, there must
be guides at the crossroads of
conversation.
Such are the information opera
tors, selected for their task because
of quickness and accuracy, cour
tesy and intelligence. At their
desks, connected with the switch
boards in central offices, they re
lieve the regular operators from
answering thousands of questions
about telephone numbers that
would otherwise impede the ren
dering of service. If they are
asked for numbers already in the
directory, service is retarded.
"Information" stands for the
most complete utilization of tele
phone facilities.
"BELL SYSTEM"
AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY
AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES
One Policy, One System, Universal Service, and all directed toward better Service